Redacted SSJ.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE SOURCE or BRAND NAME (Simplified Acquisitions - MPT to <$250K)

Document number:

The supplies or services described herein are being solicited on a sole source basis and competition is precluded for reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available for the supplies or services.

Check One:

☐ Service:

Contractor:

Contractor Address:

Contractor POC:

Phone #:

Email:

Cage Code/DUNS:

☒ Supply:

Restricted to the following source. If a sole source manufacturer distributes via dealers, ALSO provide dealer information.)

Original Manufacturer Name: YSI/XYLEM Manufacturer: YSI Manufacturer POC: John Zimmerelli Manufacturer Phone #:

Manufacturer Address: 1725 Brannum Ln, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 Dealer/Rep: John Zimmerelli Dealer/Rep Address Phone No. 1725 Brannum Ln, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 Email:

Description of the supplies or services required, the estimated price/cost, and required delivery date.

CCBOM requires two (2) multi-parameter sondes with anti-fouling technology with wet pluggable, field replaceable sensors which will be able to measure pressure/depth (up to 10m.), temperature, salinity/conductivity, pH, optical dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, total algae and fDOM (fluorescent dissolved organic matter “the brown stuff”); these instruments are used for both faculty and student research. Unlike USNA’s fixed nodes, the CCBOM sondes are moved around the bay for targeted multi-disciplinary projects in core, elective, research courses and externally funded projects, such as aquaculture or nature-based shore protection.

In particular, the ability to measure dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total algae and dissolved organic matter is critical to evaluate ways to reduce algae and dissolved organic matter and improve water clarity in the Chesapeake Bay estuary.

Other vendors can offer similar solutions that partially meet the requirements of this sole source purchase but only YSI/XYLEM can offer the complete integrated instruments that meet all the specific technical and compatibility requirements of the purchase. These instruments are operated by students/faculty who don’t measure water quality on a continuous basis and need a simple “all in one” solution.

Describe in detail why only this source can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources.

(what specific characteristics of the supplies or services limit the availability to a sole source (e.g., unique features, function of the item, etc.)?)

☒ The supplies or services must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system.

CCBOM owns an EXO1 instrument for sensor calibration and an EX02, purchased in 2011 and 2013.

These instruments have another 10-15 years of operating life. CCBOM owns newer temperature/salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen sensors for the sondes which would be compatible with the new instruments/sondes. These instruments have been proven to be well suited to monitoring water in very shallow tributaries and providing data for a host of midshipmen and faculty projects.

☒ A patent, copyright or proprietary data limits competition.

YSI is the only manufacturer which has developed a sensor to measure total algae; most manufacturers split the measurement into two sensors: chlorophyll and blue green algae. (Two sensors instead of one requires more labor for calibration and takes up two instrument ports) YSI has replacement end tips for both the pH and dissolved oxygen sensors which are patented and sell for 20-25% of the price of the full sensor. A full sensor replacement is not required for pH and DO.

☒ These are "direct replacement" parts/components for existing equipment.

These instruments replace twenty five year old YSI 6900 series sondes which the manufacturer is supporting through 2024. They are currently only used for indoor student oyster research as they are showing signs of age.

Other information to support a sole source action:

For student/faculty scientific/engineering publication it is necessary that these measurements be comparable with water quality measurements taken at fixed locations by Maryland Department of Natural Resources and USNA Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences measurements for turbidity, total algae and fDOM. Both these organizations use YSI/XYLEM EXO2 instruments. Turbidity sensors have been scientifically demonstrated to have inherent biases and trends particular to each manufacturer and can’t be compared to one another. The measurement of total algae is unique to YSI. There are only two manufacturers producing fDOM sensors, YSI and Turner Designs (sensor not stand alone or compatible with the YSI sonde).

Note: sonde=instrument